Latch for automobile doors and the like



1,639,434 All@ 16 1927' J. MORGAN LATCH FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS AND THELIKE /5 f//riled F649. 14, 1922 7%5' if 2f I TTORNEYS,

Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

Lnwrs J. Menem, or sYnAcusE, Naw Yoan LATCH Foa AuroMomLn noone AND THELm.

Application tiled February 1,4, 1922. SeralNoi. 536,592.

This invention relates to latches fordoors and has for its object aparticularly simple and eliicient latch for doors as automobile doors bywhich the handle can be adjusted y into different angular positions toconform to the incline or angle of the door and the curves ofthe outersurface of the door.

The invention consists in the novel 'fea-l tures and in the combinationsand constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

ln describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying.drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in allthe views. Y

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional View through one embodiment of mydoor latch and the contiguous ortion of the door.

Figure 2 is an e left in Fig. 1. v

Figure 3 is an elevation of the door also shown in Fig. 1, the doorbeing omitted and the shank or shaft of the handle being in section.

Figure 4 is an enlar ed sectional view on line 1 -4, Fig. 3, parts eingomitted. p

Figure 4a is a view similar to Fig. 4 'of a slightly modified form ofthe parts shown in Fig. 4.

Figures 5 and 6 are opposite inner face views of the sections of the cammember shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 7 is a detail view ofthe ball member.

Figure 8 is an elevation of this detached cam and ball membershown inFig. 1.

Figures 9 and 10 are a side elevation and edge view of a combined camand ball member of a modified form showing the camcombined with the ballmember.

Figure 11 is ahsectional view on line ll--K modified forms of a socketmember for `the p combined cam and ball members shown in Figs. 9, 10, 12and 13.

Figure 17 is a sectional view through the arm of the latch membershowing a concave face thereon with which the cam members of Figs. 9,10, 12 and 13 coact.

evation looking to the finish for the inner end'of the shank o thehandle, the contiguous part of the lock being also shown..

Figure19 is a detail view of one of the parts shown in Fig. `18. f

' Figure 18 is a sectional view of the ca or yeov Figure 20 is asectlonal view online 2o, Fig. 19.

As it well known -by those skilled in the i l art, the doors ofautomobiles are slightly inclined out of a vertical plane and also thedoors and especially the outer surfaces thereof curve or bulge toconform to the lines of the car body. I

This invention relates to means whereby the handle of the latch membercan be positioned at any desired an le irrespective of the incline ofthe door an the latch casing, and of the curves or bulge of the outersurface of the door.

v This door latch comprises generally, a casing, a latch member movablein the casing, and actuating means comprising a handle mounted to have auniversal action relatively to .the casing, it being connected to thepart of such means which cooperates with the lat-ch member to rock suchpart and to have.

a universal or ball and socket action relatively to the casing alone orto the casing and such part, the rock shaft extending in a. generaldirection ata right angle to the rocking action of such part.

1 designates the casing which may be of any suitable form, size andconstruction. 2 is a latchvmember here shown as a bolt reciprocallymovable in the casing between op-` posing walls thereof and pressed inone direction by a spring 2a, this latch member eX- p l tending throughthe edge ofthe casing and having a latch portion 3 for coacting with thekeeper plate on the door frame.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8 inelusive, the actuating meansincludes a part or member as a rocking cam member coacting with anupwardly extending arm 5 on the bolt 2 and a handle 6 having a shank orshaft 7 connected to the cam member 4 by a universal or ball and socketjoint. In Figs. 1 to 7 the cam member is shown as provided with a hubportion 8 journaled in opposite openings in the casing 1 and formed witha spherical socket 9 and with anupwardly ex-- tending arm or cam portion10 coacting with the arm 5; and the handle or shank 7 thereof-isconnected to the cam member 4 by a shaped about the center of the socketand the the casing by a universal joint. 1 15 and 16, the casing 15 isshown with a trunnions 12 thrust at their ends against the bottom of thegrooves. In Fig. 4 the socket StL is shown as cylindrical, and the slots13 as arc-shaped, hence the trunnions perform the dut of centering theball in its cylindric socket. The member 4 is preferably formed of twohalves which divide the socket into two parts so that the ball can beinserted.

ln operation, the casing 1 is attached to the inner side of the framing14 of the door and the hole for the shaft can be located in any desiredposition or angle and the shaft inserted in the axial hole of the ball11 irrespective of the incline of the door alnd the bulge of the outerface of the door.

In Fig. 2, the door and casing which are shown as inclined and twoangular positions are shown of the shaft 7 and two different bulges orcurves of the door are shown, one being shown in full lines, and theother by the dash line A-A.

ln Figs. 9, 10, 12, 13, 15 and 16, the entire cam member is shown asconnected to In Figs.

socket 16 and the cam member 17 is shown as provided with a ball 18fitting the socket 16.

The cam member is pivotally mounted at 19 on the ball, the pivotextending transversely of the axis of the ball.

In the construction shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the cam member is formedwith a spherical convex or spherical bearing face 20 coacting with theconcave face 21 on the arm 22 of the latch member and owing to the pivot19 the cam member 17 can remain centered on such face when the ball isadjusted in its angular position to conform with the angular position ofthe shaft 7.

ln Figs. 12 and 13, the cam member 23 is shown as rigid with the ball 24and provided with a convex bearing face 25 for coactng with the flatface on the arm 5, the face 25 being of less width than the face 21 inorder to find a bearing thereon in any angular adjustment of the ball24.

In Fig. 15, the socket is shown as provided in the casing 15 byattachingadditional plates 26 within the casing and in Fig. 16, thesocket is shown as provided by forming outwardly extending flanges 27around the bearing for the ball 24.

In all of the exemplications of my invention, the handle includes ashaft which is mounted relatively to the casing to effect y1,639,4sA.

universal joint action, that is, the .operating means includes a part asa ball mounted to have a universal action.

The shaft or shank 7 may be held from axial dis lacement in any suitablemanner,

- the outer face of the door.

The plate or head 30 is here shown as a disk having a central hole 33for the screw 31 and a dlshed spherically curved margin 34 whichoverlies a keeper plate 35 or disk on the casing 1, the plate 35 havinga margin 36 around the central opening thereof shaped to form anoutstanding spherically curved annular flange which forms a bearing forthe margin 34 of the head 30. A suitable cap 37 encloses the outer endof the shank, the head 30 and keeper plate 35, the cap having its innerface spherically curved to conform to the outer faces of the margin 34of the head 30. The head 30 is also formed with lugs 28 which engage theside faces of the shank 7. The cap and keeper plate is held in positionby suitable means as one or more screws 39. This cap and the keeperplate may overlie the finish or upholstery of the door and hence, thelock is accessible without removing the finish or upholstering.

As is obvious, this latch is particularly advantageous as the handle canbe readily adj usted into the desired angular position with respect tothe incline of the door and the bulge of the outer face of the door.

The bolt 2 may be locked from movement to prevent opening of the door bya suitable key operated locking mechanism supported within the casing 1,said mechanism being here shown as a bolt 40 movable in a casing 41located within the casing 1, this bolt 40 being movable behind ashoulder 42 on the bolt 2 when the bolt 2 is in its normal position, thelock bolt 40 operated by a suitable mechanism as a rocking cam 43mounted in the casing 41, this cam being connected to the casing to havea universal action similar to and for the same purposes as the operatingmechanism for the bolt 2. Suitable key operated lock mechanism isattached to the cam 43 to partake of the universal adjustment thereof,said mechanism having a shank for fitting the square hole 44 in the cam43.

What I claim is: i

1. A door latch mechanism comprising a casing, a latch member movable inthe casing and operating means for the latch member comprising a partcoacting with the latch member and a universal joint located in thelatch casing and operable relatively to said part without dist-urbingthe relation of said part to the latch member and a handle having ashank fixed to one member of the universal joint to move into adifferent angular position therewith relatively to said part.

2. A door latch mechanism comprising a casing, a latch member movable inthe casing, a rocking cam member mounted in the casing and formed With aspherical socket concentric with its axis and With transverse radialgrooves opening into the socket, a ball in the socket and havingtrunnions extending into the grooves, and a handle having a rockingshaft connected to the ball to rock the same, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

3. A door latch mechanism comprising a casing, a latch member movable inthe casing, a rocking cam member mounted in the casing and formed with aspherical socket concentric With its axis and with transverse radialgrooves opening into the socket, a ball in the socket and havingtrunnions extending into the grooves, the grooves having arc-shapedbottoms concentric with the center of the ball and the trunnions bearingat their ends against the bottoms of the grooves and a handle havin arocking shaft connected to the ball to roc the same, substantially asand for the purpose described..

4. A door latch mechanism comprising a casing, movable latch operatingmeans for the latch comprising a ball and socket joint, and a handlehaving a. shank arranged coaxially of the ball and slidable axially ofthe ball, and retaining means coacting With the casing to prevent axialdisplacement of the shaft, comprising a member on the shank and mountedto have ball and socket action relative to the casing and conforming tothe angular adjustment of the shank, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

5. A door latch mechanism comprising a casing, movable latch operatingmeans for the latch comprising a ball and socket joint, and a handlehaving a shank arranged coaxially of the ball and slidable axially ofthe ball, and retaining means coacting with the casing to prevent axialdisplacement of the shaft, comprising a member on the shank and mountedto have a ball and socket action relative tothe casing and conforming tothe angular adjustment of the shank, said member being located on theoutside of the casing, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A door latch mechanism comprising a casing, movable latch o-peratingmeans for the latch comprising a ball and socket joint, and a handlehaving a shank arranged coaxially of the ball and slidable axially ofthe ball, and retaining means coacting With the casing to prevent axialdisplacement of the shaft comprising a keeper plate on the outside ofthe casing, and a head on the inner end of the shank the plate and headbeing shaped to have a ball and socket coaction to conform with theangular adjustment of the shank. substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

7. A door latch mechanism comprising a casing, movable latch operatingmeans for the latch comprising a ball and socket joint, and a handlehaving a shank arranged coaxially of the ball and slidable axially ofthe ball, and retaining means coacting with the casing to prevent axialdisplacement of the shaft, comprising a member on the shank and mountedtoy have a ball and socket action relative to the casing and conformingto the angular adjustment of the shank, and a cap mounted on the casinand enclosing said member, substantialf as and for the purpose setforth.

8. A door latch mechanism comprisin a casing, movable latch operatingmeans or the latch comprising a ball and socket joint, and a handlehaving a shank arranged coaxially of the ball and slidable axially ofthe ball, and retaining means coacting with the casing to prevent axialdisplacement of the shaft comprising a keeper plate on the outside ofthe casing and a head on the inner end of the shank, the plate and headbeing shaped to have a ball and socket coaction to conform with theangular adjustment of the shank, and a cap mounted outside of the casinand enclosin the head and the keeper p ate, substantia ly as and for thepurpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, inthe county of Onondaga, and State of New York, this 30th day ofDecember, 1921.

LEWIS J. MORGAN.

